The Tales of Chikimatsu's Pupil
by Wolfeluck
Summary: Sasori had died. Now, his teacher must reconcile for Sasori's mistakes. Can he clear his own conscience? Re-uploaded. Comes in Chapters.
1. Meeting with the Red Headed Boy

-Disclaimer-

I in no way own or proclaim to have created Naruto or any affiliated works by Masashi Kishimoto. The only original character I have created in regards to Naruto is the one featured in this story.

The Tales of Chikimatsu's Pupil

"Meeting with the Red-Headed Boy"

By: Wolfeluck

Sasori was dead. No doubt about it. The container that housed his human heart had been stabbed through by his first puppets. They lay in front of him, piled in a loving embrace. Emotion's stand against the sea of blank, wooden stares around them.

Saemon surveyed the battlefield, the red-robed puppets Sasori employed to take down the Land of Lakes in the west littering it, smashed and useless. Unsalvageable. Sasori's original body had been taken, and what was left were the remnants of his battle with Chiyo of the Sand and a Konoha ninja named "Sakura". Among the lumps of red cloth, freckles of white dotted the landscape. He recognized them as his master's creations, the puppets that Chiyo had inherited from Chikimatsu when he died.

One of Saemon's own puppets, Koumori, sat patiently near him, expertly controlled by his fingers. This puppet donned a black cloak, the anti-thesis to the cloaks Chikimatsu's puppets wore, its face covered in bandages, eyes covered by goggles.

The puppet had been a remarkable wind ninja, who used his talents to fly through the air on wings made of cloth.

Saemon flexed his fingers, and Koumori sprung to life on its invisible chakra strings. The wings on its back folded outward, producing a bat's shape under the noonday sun. The two of them leapt up into the air, Saemon on Koumori's back. A circular metal plate at the apex of the wings were now stuck to Saemon's feet by his chakra. A gale of wind moved several broken joints away from the radius of Koumori's flapping wings, the master and puppet hovering only a few feet from the ground. The ninja moved his hands at incredible speeds, the formations of his fingers a blur. The three surviving puppets his master had owned vanished in a puff of white smoke. Saemon thought they would make a nice memento, so he transported them to his mountain hideout, on the outskirts of the Land of Earth.

Saemon and Koumori headed away from the ruins of the Akatsuki cave. His personal mission was not yet over, so he headed toward Konohagakure Village. There, he would try and meet this medical ninja named "Sakura". He wanted to know just how Sasori had been defeated. After all, responsibility does not always lie in the pupil, but in the teacher as well. Regret flooded through Saemon as he remembered teaching Sasori how to create human puppets.

Saemon could not believe such a prodigy could have existed in the Land of Wind. The boy was no older than fifteen or sixteen. Twenty years had gone by, but remembering him was not a hard feat.

"My name is Sasori," the boy said, the distant sand storms of the Land of Wind a subtle backdrop to this red-headed child before him. "Sasori of the Red Sands, they call me."

"So you're a ninja? Are you from Sunagakure?" Saemon said.

"Yeah, I am. I'm looking for someone," he said.

"Who, exactly? I might be able to help, if only a little."

"Well, I'm looking for a legendary ninja. I heard he fought in the two Great Ninja Wars on the side of Sunagakure. He's supposed to be incredibly strong, and is a master of the Puppet Technique," Sasori said, looking out onto the desert flats below. "Have you ever heard of Kuromatsu Saemon?" Sasori's eyes narrowed in their concentration, eager for an answer from this stranger he had found, in an area rumored to be Kuromatsu's lair. The man before Sasori looked no older than thirty, and the simple outfit the man wore displayed no symbol of loyalty to Iwagakure or to Sunagakure.

"Never heard of this…Saemon person, but the legends around these parts talk of ogre demons roaming the mountain passes, where not even ninja from Iwagakure dare to tread," Saemon said, hoping to see the child leave.

"Are you sure? I could have sworn that Chiyo-sama said he lived around here."

"Perhaps your Chiyo-sama was wrong. After all, legends aren't always true."

"Some are. I know some of them are." Sasori looked pained, his hopes dashed with the words of this stranger. He wanted to follow the stranger more, but he knew that Chiyo-sama was waiting back in Sunagakure. She had only given him three days to search out the legend's merit.

"So, why are you looking for this Saemon guy? If he fought in both Ninja Wars, he must be quite old. He probably died."

"I want to learn from him. I want to learn why he was so strong, how his techniques work. I know he can't have died in the War. He mustn't have."

"Oh, I see. So you want to become his student, do you?" Saemon displayed a look of curiosity for this boy. How could he be so confident in Saemon's existence? He had moved to the mountain ranges after the Second Ninja War. Because the war was recent, there were rumors of his skills being brought up in conversation between the ninja he fought alongside with. He made it an effort not to show who he really was, but gossip always worms its way into the woodwork of society. He had even been said to be a "ghost" by some. "The Ghost of Sunagakure", they called him. Even the Third Kazekage had heard of the legend surrounding Kuromatsu, but it was only a fairy tale for children and old war heroes. It had surfaced, bubbled to the top of Sunagakure's social topics.

"Yes, I want to be his student. That's why I need to find him," Sasori said, his fists clenched. Sasori still did not know why he was saying such things to this stranger, who could be an earth ninja in disguise.

"I really can't help you. I'm sorry."

"That's alright. I'll just keep searching until I'm needed back." Sasori bowed, realizing he had probably kept the stranger waiting while he was doing errands. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make you wait! Please, accept my apology."

"There's no need for that. I'm a bit lonely up here, so it's nice to talk to someone living once in awhile." Saemon put up his hand in a friendly manner.

"It's just…I hate to make people wait," Sasori said.

"Just don't let it get to you next time. Alright?"

"Sure." Sasori seemed unwilling to try it.

"Well, I must be going, and you probably have to go back now. It's a long way to Sunagakure."

"Ah, yes. Sorry." Sasori jumped from the cliff face, landing neatly on the rocks below. He ran off towards the sandstorms, and Saemon headed upwards toward the cave. He wondered if the red-headed boy was going to follow him.

Those suspicions turned out to be true. Saemon could barely sense the young ninja tracking his movements from the shadows of the cliff face. He thought this Sasori must be a very talented ninja, to be able to follow him so well through the mountains. He must also use the Puppet Technique, or else the young red-head wouldn't have come all this way towards enemy territory without just cause. The rumors about him that had spread in Sunagakure must have reached Sasori's ears.

Saemon walked nonchalantly to the cave where he lived. Inside, the tools of the puppet trade awaited, and would give him away instantly. He cared very little, because if he truly felt like doing so, he could easily kill the young Sasori without so much as a thought. Unfortunately, curiosity overcame the need for secrecy. He thought that he might as well teach this kid some tricks, even a few. He might even pass on his techniques to the next generation. Whimsical thoughts of a ninja who was once a student himself flowed freely.

Inside, the lantern illuminated the cave's interior with a red-orange glow. Saemon waited, seated at a small tea table. He hid a kunai up his sleeve, and poured tea for himself from a pot on the furnace top behind him.

Eventually, the young Sasori entered the cave.

He was in awe of the creations inside. Sasori had never seen such masterfully created puppets, inwardly admitting that the puppets he had created for the Sunagakure Puppet Squads were sub-par to these. Saemon knew that Sasori had been completely taken in by his genjutsu, making him lose the will to put up any struggle. Sasori didn't bother to try and disrupt his own chakra flow.

He reached Saemon, drinking tea without a care in the world. Sasori knew who this man was. Kuromatsu Saemon. Pupil of the first puppet master, Chikimatsu Monzaemon. He sat down and picked up a cup and saucer.

"Would you like some tea?" Saemon asked him.

"Yes. Please, Kuromatsu-sama," Sasori managed out. Kuromatsu poured tea into Sasori's cup, but he didn't drink it right away.

"Don't worry, boy, I didn't poison it," he said. Sasori put on a worried look.

The two of them sat in silence for a few moments, and then Saemon put down his tea.

"So, you want to become my student, Sasori?" he said. Sasori became wide eyed and looked away, seemingly shy.

"Yes, I do. Please, will you teach me, Kuromatsu…sensei?" Sasori put on a faint smile.

"First of all, you don't need to call me sensei," he said.

"Well, I usually call the other jonin in my village sensei, even though I am a jonin myself."

"You're a jonin? You're so young!" Saemon looked honestly surprised by this truth.

"Well, I contributed a lot to the village back home. I'm one of the best puppet users in my village."

"But then…what could you learn from me if you're already as strong as you say you are?" Saemon said.

"I've had this idea for a long time now. My parents were killed in the War, so I tried to make puppets that looked like them. They couldn't replace them. So I got this idea that if you used human beings instead of just normal wood, then-"

"A puppet made of human flesh? What do you think you saw when you walked in here?"

Sasori's eyes grew their widest yet. He appeared excited, the topic now set on his goal. Human Puppets! The thought made Sasori almost giddy inside.

"So, you'll teach me how to make them?" Sasori asked.

"I don't know. There are rules I want to set down first." Saemon grew concerned that Sasori might take his new learning experience and abuse it. "For instance-"

Kuromatsu Saemon, riding atop Koumori's back, felt even more regret at this point in his memory. As he traveled towards Konohagakure, he tried to meditate. He needed to clear his thoughts for his meeting with the medical ninja, and what it might mean for him. He needed to be prepared, but hopefully, not for war.


	2. Clash! Early Suspicions

The Tales of Chikimatsu's Pupil

"Clash! Early Suspicions"

By: Wolfeluck

Konohagakure was beautiful, as always. Saemon felt a pang of jealousy working down in his stomach. So many trees! And the air! Saemon usually couldn't imagine a day without dust and debris flowing haphazardly into his eye, or a night when the wind didn't whistle in the distance. Here, he could be free of the elements.

He was careful to return Koumori back to its summoning scroll, and walked the rest of the way to the village. It was easy to sneak in, since the guard in the village wasn't very strict. That and a fake traveling pass were more than enough.

A ramen shop caught his eye, so he sat down to eat there. He could smell the meat cooking, freshly seasoned.

The young girl making noodles quickly noticed Saemon and greeted him.

"Welcome to Ichiraku Ramen! How may we serve you?" she said.

"Ayame! Don't yell so loudly!" said the gray-haired man watching the cooking pots. His gruff voice and sturdy appearance sent the embarrassed girl back to her noodles without protest.

"Now, stranger, what will you have?" He folded his arms as he talked.

"I don't know. I've never been to this restaurant before, so I don't know what's good," he said.

"Well, you've come to the right place, then. Nothing on the menu is bad!" the man said with a smile.

Saemon returned the smile, but still needed time contemplating his decision. Who knew ramen could be so difficult?

Three people walked in under the fabric awning. At first glance Saemon could tell they were local ninja. Two boys and one girl. The farthest one, the girl, was a blonde and had blue eyes, while the middle boy was overweight and wore a lot of red. The closest boy had his hair in a tight ponytail, and wore what appeared to be a chunin's jacket. Again, Ayame greeted them in the manner that she did Saemon.

"Welcome to Ichiraku-"

"Ayame!" The old man pushed her to the side. "Welcome to Ichiraku Ramen, how may we serve you?"

"I want barbequed pork! Three bowls! No, four! And make it extra on the pork!" said the middle ninja.

"Choji! Just because we don't have time to eat the Korean stuff you like, doesn't mean we can sit around and eat all day here, too! Plus, Shikamaru's treating us!" said the blonde, who's expression became grimaced.

"All the better! Right, Shikamaru?" said Choji.

"This is troublesome. As if I weren't already broke enough," he said. "Now we'll be late to go see Lady Tsunade for our summons."

At those words, Saemon listened more closely, because he knew that Tsunade was the current Hokage in the village.

"I'll have the vegetarian bowl, please," said the blonde.

"The barbequed pork, but only one bowl, please. And don't put any boiled eggs in there, either," said Shikamaru.

"Picky, picky," the old man mumbled to himself. Saemon took this opportunity to learn something.

"Excuse me, could you help me?" he said. It took a moment for Shikamaru to notice the question was aimed at him.

"Hm? Help you with what?" he said.

"Well, I'm trying to decide what to eat here, but I don't know what's good to order. Could you help me out with that?"

"Just have whatever my friend Choji here is having. He knows what's good to eat anywhere." Shikamaru pointed a thumb at Choji, who was now listening to the conversation.

"Thanks a lot. Then I'll have a bowl of barbequed pork, please."

"Good choice, my man. Unlike Ino, she's on a diet for her _figure_," said Choji.

"Choji!" Ino became flustered by the comment. Saemon merely chuckled.

"If you don't mind -Shikamaru, was it?- could you tell me where I could find a medical ninja named Sakura Haruno?" Now Saemon could get the answer he was looking for.

"Who wants to know?" he said.

"Well, my younger brother became sickly a year ago, and his condition isn't improving. I heard a story about Sakura saving a Sunagakure jonin from the brink of death. I was hoping she could save my brother, since the medicine where we live isn't helping anymore."

"I believe she's on a mission right now. I'm sorry," he said.

"Really? But I-"

"It might be best if you visited the hospital. That place is full of medical ninja, some more experienced than Sakura." Now all three ninja were listening in.

"I'm sorry if I'm not exactly trusting, but if my sources are correct, Sakura is the apprentice of one of the San-nin, Tsunade. She might be less experienced, but probably more skilled or knowledgeable than anyone in the hospital."

"That might be true," said Ino, " but she's on a mission. You'll have to wait until she comes back to talk to her."

"When will she be back?" Saemon asked.

"I don't know. You'd have to speak with the Hokage about that, although right now she's very busy," said Shikamaru. They were interrupted by the old man's shouting.

"Ooorder up!" he said. All four bowls of ramen came out at once. The four customers ate in silence, until finally, after Saemon, Shikamaru, and Ino had finished, Choji was almost done with his second bowl.

"Alright, let's go Choji, Ino. We're gonna be late otherwise."

"Awww, really?" Choji still had some broth left at the bottom of his bowl. He gulped it down quickly.

"Thanks again for helping me. All of you."

"No problem," said Shikamaru.

"Glad to help," said Ino.

"I'm still hungry," said Choji.

The three of them left, heading towards the Hokage's office.

"Well, look at this! They didn't pay for the food!" said the old man.

"Huh?" Saemon looked at the bill.

"I guess they left you with the tab." he said. Saemon couldn't believe he'd just been conned.

Some time later, Saemon ventured towards the Hokage Memorial's grounds. He'd decided to go sight-seeing. If he couldn't talk to Sakura right now, he would simply wait until she returned from her mission.

That's when he noticed, as he was walking in the shadow of a long stretch of wall, that he was being followed. Whomever it was, they were being careful. Saemon rounded a corner, trying to immerse himself in the street crowd. It was then that he identified his pursuer.

The man was tall and scarecrow-like. He had white hair, and he covered his face with a mask. He was pretending to read a book. Saemon knew better. They both continued to ignore the other, but then Saemon rounded another corner towards a more deserted area. The ninja appeared not to follow, but Saemon knew he was nearby, watching.

"Come on out, will you?" Saemon commanded to the empty alley.

"So, you noticed me, did you?" The man walked out from behind a fence.

"It wasn't hard," Saemon said. "I could feel you watching me."

"You must be a ninja, then. Tell me, who are you?"

"I think I have a right to know who my pursuer is first, don't you think?"

"Fair enough. Hatake Kakashi. I'm a ninja of this village."

"The Copy Ninja?" Saemon knew he was in trouble now.

"I'm flattered you know about me, but that still leaves the question of who you are."

"Kuromatsu Saemon. I'm just a tourist here."

"Then what do you want with Sakura Haruno?" Kakashi became more alert when he asked this question. Saemon figured that the three ninja he'd met before at the ramen shop had become suspicious of him. They must have alerted Kakashi.

"That's between Sakura and myself. It's a matter I'd rather not discuss here. Now, if you're done, I'll be on my way." Saemon motioned to walk away from Kakashi.

The ninja appeared in front of Saemon in the blink of an eye.

"I don't think so. There's more I'd like to ask you." he said.

"Like what, exactly?" Saemon replied.

"Is this about Morino Ibiki?" Kakashi said.

"I don't know who that is, Copy Ninja, but I do know for whom that I'm here for." Saemon crossed his arms, getting impatient. "I'm here because of Sasori. Sasori of the Red Sands," he said.

Kakashi attacked in a flash, his kunai strike blocked by Saemon's grip on Kakashi's forearms.

"That was fast, Kakashi, but not fast enough!" Saemon, from his sleeve, revealed his own kunai, which he used to catch Kakashi off guard in order to slice his throat after sending him off balance.

The ninja vanished in a puff of smoke.

"A Shadow Clone!" Saemon exclaimed.

"Exactly," said Kakashi, now behind Saemon, with his kunai knife pressed against Saemon's throat. "Now, you said something about Sasori of the Akatsuki. What connection do you have to him? Is it about revenge against Sakura?"

"No," was all that Saemon cared to offer in reply. He had already exchanged blows with a Konohagakure ninja now, and he expected to be captured and interrogated if he didn't leave. Already the day was becoming more trouble than it was worth.

Still, Saemon knew he could easily fight on par with this ninja.

Saemon brought out his chakra strings. He didn't intend to show off his puppets yet, but if things got worse, he might have to. The chakra strings yanked Kakashi's arm away from Saemon's throat, and buckled him at the knees. This gave Saemon the opportunity to turn around and give a gut-punch directly below Kakashi's sternum. Kakashi felt the blow. He flew quite a few feet, stopped only by a tree lying in the way of his trajectory. The tree cracked under the pressure, wood splinters flying.

"That's for underestimating me," Saemon said. Kakashi only knelt under the tree's shade, holding his side as if coming down with appendicitis.

"Wow," he managed to cough out. "That was some punch. I'll have to be mindful of those from now on." Kakashi brought his hand up to his forehead, pulling down his mask so that his other eye was visible.

Saemon recognized it as the Sharingan.

"Sharingan? Too bad I won't give you a chance to use it properly," Saemon said. Saemon ran towards Kakashi, who tried to get into a defensive stance.

Then, Saemon stopped dead in his tracks. He couldn't move. He couldn't even turn his head or move his fingers.

"That's far enough for you," someone said, atop the fence nearby. The sun, high in the sky, blocked out the light so that Saemon could only see the man's silhouette. From there, a shadow, darker than the rest, emanated from the man's feet, and connected to Saemon's own shadow. The two were joined, no doubt a technique of some kind.

"So, how did you like the ramen?" Shikamaru asked.

"It was good. Now, if you'll kindly let me go, please." Saemon struggled for control of his body, but found none.

"Sorry, can't do that. You're attacking a jonin of the village, so I'm considering you as a threat. Well, less of a threat now, since you're trapped in my Shadow Imitation Technique," he said.

"Hmph. A sneaky thing like this seems fitting, since you left me to pay the bill back at that ramen shop," Saemon said.

The two ninja glared at each other, connected by the shadow beneath them.


	3. Mission in the Land of Rivers

The Tales of Chikimatsu's Pupil

"Mission in the Land of Rivers"

Saemon couldn't break free from the Shadow Imitation Technique that Shikamaru had cast upon him. The two other ninja from the ramen shop, Choji and Ino, were tending to Kakashi. Choji stood as a defensive wall while Ino healed Kakashi's wound with the green glow of her medical techniques.

"Now tell me, what are you really doing in this village?" asked Shikamaru.

"Like I said before, I'm here because of Sasori of the Red Sands. He was my student a long time ago, and I came here to meet the person who killed him."

"Sasori? Of the Akatsuki?" Shikamaru was shocked to hear this. Asuma! His heart gave a leap at the mention of the organization that killed his own mentor. And this guy had taught one of them! Shikamaru became angry, quickly forming the hand sign of the rat. Two hands, formed of a shadow, worked their way up Saemon's body and held his neck tight in their grip. "Shadow Stranglehold!" he yelled.

"Shikamaru!" Choji said, puzzled by Shikamaru's reaction to the mention of the Akatsuki. The shadow hands became tighter in their grip, and Saemon tried gasping for breath, but to no avail. He could feel the life leaving him. He supposed it was time.

Saemon's neck snapped. It made an audible sound, like a twig breaking under the pressure of someone's foot. The shadow that held Saemon's body in place dissipated. He fell, limp as a doll. His mouth leaked a small trickle of blood, proof of his death. Shikamaru landed from atop the fence, now regretting his rash decision to kill the man.

He could have used this opportunity to get some information.

"Shikamaru, thanks for saving me," said Kakashi, who now seemed fine, recovered from the heavy blow he took because of Saemon's strength. "Although, I think you went a little too far this time. I didn't even get to know whether or not he was an enemy."

"What? But I thought-"

"No, he said he wanted to talk to Sakura, but he didn't say why." Kakashi was looking over Saemon's corpse. Something was strange. There were still traces of chakra left. "He could have been after revenge, or he wanted to congratulate her. Now, we'll never know."

Ino ran her hand over Saemon's body, looking for vital signs.

"Um, guys, I think he's still alive," she said.

"What?" the rest said in unison.

"Yes, it's true," Saemon said. His hands were working again, although his neck felt strange. Twisted. He got up, his view of the ninja backing away from him as he came back to life skewed. Slanted. Saemon righted his neck, the bones snapping back into place.

"But how? I heard your neck break!" Choji said.

"Yeah, there's no way you should still be alive." Shikamaru appeared afraid, his memory of Hidan, the immortal, running through his mind. "Are you immortal or something?"

"It's a Kekkei Genkai," Kakashi said, his Sharingan eye reading Saemon's chakra flow.

"Yes, it is. It's a rare hereditary technique passed down through my clan. I'm the only one left who has this ability, since my clan died out decades ago." Saemon wiped away the blood on his chin with his sleeve. "My ability allows me to manipulate my body, to the point of using chakra in order to regenerate injuries, even fatal ones."

The village ninja displayed their shock at this revelation.

"That doesn't explain how you could have taught Sasori," Kakashi said. "According to Sakura, Sasori had turned his body into a puppet in order to become immortal, but you're clearly not a puppet. Plus, you look no older than me! You couldn't have been Sasori's teacher, since he left Sunagakure only a few years after the Second Ninja War."

"My power also allows me to keep my body from aging. What to you might seem years becomes months or days for me. I've even been a participant in the first Ninja Wars, before the ninja villages were ever founded."

"Then I guess we'll need reinforcements for this, won't we?" said Choji.

"No, not yet. We need to learn more before we start another fight. Remember, we still don't know if he's an enemy or not," said Kakashi.

"If my intentions are at question, I'll answer them. I have no need for revenge. That much you should know right now. I only want to make up for the mistakes that my student has made, in more than one way. He did many terrible things, both against his enemies and his allies. I wanted to know all I can about what Sasori had been up to all these years, in greater detail than what I've known he's done."

Saemon told the ninja all about him teaching Sasori how to make human puppets, and the gradual suspicions that Saemon had of Sasori. He told them he had suspected foul play in Sunagakure, stemming from disappearances that had occurred within the village. After the disappearance of the Third Kazekage, Saemon no longer allowed Sasori to see him, since his behavior was such that it made Saemon question whether or not Sasori had abused the skills Saemon had passed on to him. After Sasori had left Sunagakure and become a missing ninja, Saemon took it upon himself to go traveling across the lands in search of rumors pertaining to the now dead puppet master.

"So that's how you got around me," said Kakashi. "You used chakra strings to knock me off balance."

"Precisely. Puppet masters are weak at hand-to-hand combat, but I've trained myself to overcome that weakness."

"But why were you hesitant to explain this before?" asked Shikamaru.

"I wanted to keep this matter private, since I felt no need to tell every ninja in this village that I had such an association with a member of Akatsuki. I would have immediately been considered an enemy," he said.

"Yes, but Sakura is on a mission, so you're plans have been ruined," said Kakashi. "Perhaps if you spoke with the Hokage about this, we could get a better understanding of the situation."

"It might help, but can we really trust this guy?" asked Ino.

"Trusting or not, I'm far outnumbered by many skilled ninja. There isn't much I can do here even if I have ulterior motives."

"That is true." Kakashi put his mask back over the Sharingan. "We'll just have to trust him. Now, Shikamaru, weren't you going to the Hokage's office?"

"Uh, yes," he said.

"Good. I'll come along, too. I need to report this to Lady Tsunade."

The village ninja sped off towards the Hokage's offices. Saemon followed behind, jumping with them from roof to roof. He noticed Shikamaru behind him, keeping a close eye on his movements. He still doesn't trust me, Saemon thought.

Lady Tsunade was not happy that Kakashi had two broken ribs. She could tell just by looking. She had intended Kakashi go on a mission in a few days, but now he would need to recover in the hospital. Tsunade sent him there quickly, mindful to advise him not to push himself too much.

"So, who is this man?" asked Tsunade.

Saemon explained his story again. Tsunade only listened closely, with Shizune, her assistant, in the background, shocked as when first heard by the other ninja in the room.

"I see. So you're here to try and apologize for Sasori, are you?" she asked.

"Yes, I am. I'll do anything to atone. I'll even forfeit my life, if that's what it takes."

Tsunade laughed at the thought. "Forfeit? You don't need to go that far. Sakura will most likely forgive you, but you seem the type to not let things go so easily, even after all is said and done." Her expression became serious. "Speaking of that, Shikamaru, Choji, Ino." The Hokage addressed the three ninja behind Saemon. "If I recall, you were supposed to be here half an hour ago. You're late."

"We're sorry, Lady Tsunade," Shikamaru said. The other two nodded in agreement. "We were busy with Saemon near the Hokage Monument."

"It's alright, you three. You can save the explanations for later. I summoned you here because I'm sending you on a mission," she said.

"A mission?" said Shikamaru. "What kind of mission?"

"I'm sending you as reinforcements for Yamato and Team 7," she said. "You're to back them up, since I underestimated the difficulty of the mission I gave them originally."

"So…Captain Yamato needs help out there, eh?" Shikamaru asked.

"And Sakura, too." Ino said, hands to her hips, a slightly triumphant smile on her face.

"Yes, they all do. The situation was worse than we'd originally thought. The ANBU I stationed there for reconnaissance told me that the rogue ninja in the Land of Rivers have built themselves a fortress, no doubt using an Earth Style technique. Having only Captain Yamato's team out there is not enough to complete the mission at hand."

Tsunade addressed Saemon, standing there, inferring for himself the mission Sakura's team was attempting to complete. "Now that I think about it, you can accompany Shikamaru and his team, acting as their fourth man," she said.

"Lady Tsunade!" Shizune said, her expression dismayed by the decision. "We don't even really know this man, and you're sending him on a mission with ninja from our village, like he's a member? I think that's taking it a bit far, don't you think?"

"No it's not, and if you don't like it, Shizune, tough luck." Tsunade reprised Shizune for her outburst. "I can tell all of you something right now about this man, even though I know you don't trust him. He can be counted on, because I know the look of a devious guy when I see him. After knowing Orochimaru as long as I have, you must believe me when I say this man won't betray you. With Orochimaru, I became suspicious, the way his eyes looked. This was after the villagers started vanishing. This man does not possess those eyes. I also know this man is strong. Very strong. If he wants to atone for Sasori's sins, he'll pay by doing this mission. It only makes sense." Tsunade used great vindiction with her words.

"Well, if you say so. I guess we'll have to bring him along, even though it's too troublesome to imagine," said Shikamaru.

"Thank you. I greatly appreciate this opportunity." Saemon expressed his gratitude.

"No need to thank me. I'm sending a hawk to Captain Yamato so they'll wait for you at the border of the Land of Fire," she said. "Shizune?"

"Yes! Right away, Lady Tsunade!" She left the room to prepare the message she'd send with a hawk.

"Now, if you don't mind, I need to know just what the mission entails," Saemon said. "I can't be of any use if I don't have the proper information."

"Of course," Tsunade said. "You're all going on a rescue mission. Morino Ibiki, head of the ANBU Interrogations Division, was kidnapped by rogue ninja while he was on a mission in the east of the Land of Fire. Captain Yamato and Team 7 have been assigned to rescue him. The rogue ninja that kidnapped him did so because they're planning an invasion and intend to exploit Konohagakure's weaknesses by extracting information from Ibiki. They recently built a fortress to better defend themselves while they plan the attack on Konohagakure. The four of you are to back up Team 7 and infiltrate the fortress. Once inside, rescue Ibiki as quickly and quietly as possible. Once that is accomplished, you can then attempt to crush the ninja inside. If that isn't possible, you're to escape with Ibiki and come back to the village."

"When did you send Team 7 out?" Shikamaru asked.

"I sent them out earlier this morning. They should be waiting just before the border to the Land of Rivers. I'm going to send a ninja hound to you can find them without hassle."

"This is all too troublesome," muttered Shikamaru.

"When do you want us to head out?" asked Choji.

"The sooner, the better," Tsunade replied. "Saemon, you can stock up on ninja gear here in the village."

"I'm already fully equipped," he said. "There's no need for me to stock up. We can leave immediately."

"Good. Now, everyone, head out."

"Yes, Lady Tsunade," the three young ninja replied in unison.

After each of the ninja readied themselves, they met at the village gates. Saemon was already present, with Choji and Ino coming together.

"Hello, Saemon," Choji said.

"Hello, Choji," he replied. "Hello, Ino."

"Hello," she replied.

"So, you guys ready?" Shikamaru appeared soon after, with a small dog in tow.

"We are!" Choji and Ino said together.

"Who's the dog?" Saemon asked.

"Who's the weird human?" The dog replied. "He smells like dirt."

"Pakkun, this is our fourth team member. He'll be coming with us on the mission."

"Is that so?" The dog sniffed him from a distance, becoming familiar with his scent. "Whatever, Shikamaru. Anyway, we have to go. I can already smell Team 7's trail from here."

"Good, then they won't be hard to find."

The four ninja and the hound sped off together into the forest.


	4. Encounter! Allies and Enemies

The Tales of Chikimatsu's Pupil

"Encounter! Allies and Enemies"

By: Wolfeluck

Captain Yamato had received the hawk's message during the night. The orders were clear. To wait at the border for Shikamaru and his team. It also mentioned someone who wasn't a Konohagakure ninja. Just who was this person? He must be someone the Hokage trusts, because it seems unlikely she would send someone with a shady background. It's possible the rogue ninja sent a spy into Konohagakure. Yamato would have to trust Tsunade's word. Nothing else.

The next morning, Captain Yamato, along with Team 7, set up a small camp at the border to the Land of Rivers.

"When are they gonna get here, Yamato-sensei?" inquired Naruto.

"Jeez, Naruto-kun, you're so impatient!" Sakura expressed her embarrassment at Naruto's sheer lack of basic ninja social skills.

"Just be patient, Naruto. They'll be here soon. After all, they were given the mission at the last minute by Lady Hokage, so they don't have a great head start on us," he said.

Naruto only grumbled, frowned, and crossed his arms.

"It seems that Naruto-kun doesn't like waiting," said Sai, preparing several scrolls for the day ahead. "Can't you just sit still?"

"No, I can't, Sai. I heard that the ninja we're gonna go up against are allied with Orochimaru, so I want to face 'em as soon as possible to get a lead on Sasuke," he said.

"While you're occupied with that, Naruto-kun, I'll just draw some pictures while we wait. Perhaps of the scenery?" Sai brought out paper and ink, intending to draw the dark forest canopy. With his scrolls prepared, he wrapped them up and placed them in his weapons pouch. "You keep thinking too far ahead for your own good, so I'll just think of the present."

"Whatever, but I'll be the first to meet this new guy they're bringing along," Naruto said.

"You mean that ninja from the Land of Wind?" Sakura replied.

"Yeah, that guy. I wonder if he's strong. I bet he can't beat Gaara, though."

"Naruto, Gaara is the Kazekage. Not many people can beat him," said Sakura.

"What about that Akatsuki member? Deidara, I believe he was named," said Sai. "Deidara defeated the Kazekage, so he's not invincible."

"Yeah, well, that was just a fluke," Naruto said. He frowned at the thought of someone who could do that to Gaara.

A small sparrow made of ink landed on Sai's forearm. Sai took out one of his scrolls, and the bird transferred back onto the page, turning into words.

"Shikamaru's coming," Sai said. "They'll be here in about five minutes."

"Finally!" exclaimed Naruto.

"Excellent work, Sai." Yamato said.

Pakkun and his human comrades showed up just as Sai had predicted. Pleasantries were exchanged between the already familiar faces of Team 10 and Team 7. Yamato and Saemon also introduced themselves, Saemon not forgetting Sai, Naruto, or Sakura. Yamato's first impression of the ninja was the he was quite skilled, and that he would be a great asset to the mission at hand.

Pakkun said his goodbyes, disappearing in a puff of smoke, transporting himself back to Konohagakure.

"Now, everyone, we're going to go ahead and complete our mission as planned. The rescue of Ibiki. Is everyone ready to set out?"

"Yeah!" cried Naruto. Sakura and Sai only nodded. Team 10 also voiced their agreement.

"Yes, I'm ready," said Saemon.

"Alright. We won't arrive at the ninja fortress until late this evening. During the night, we'll infiltrate the fortress and rescue Ibiki. We need to be in and out in less than half an hour, to avoid suspicion," Yamato said.

The eight ninja set out for the fortress in the Land of Rivers. They were wary to their surroundings, occasionally scouting for enemy ninja and checking for traps. During mid-day, they stopped to rest, and to eat.

Saemon sat down with Yamato, and Naruto decided to join them. He thought he'd learn more about this Sunagakure ninja coming with them. Naruto took out several rice balls rolled up in seaweed, chewing them ferociously as Saemon and Yamato conversed. The others sat down in a circle, sharing stories and eating from their packs.

"So, Saemon, what exactly brings you on this mission? I can't honestly say this is very usual for me." Yamato expressed his curiosity for the ninja, who, by normal standards, would be carrying out missions for his own village, and not his allies'.

"It's a personal matter. Also, I'm not really a Sunagakure ninja anymore. My loyalty may lie to that village, but I've taken to traveling for a long time, and only recently have I had any interest in ninja affairs," he said.

"I see. So, by personal, do you know something about the ninja we're tracking? Something more than we know?"

"No, I don't. I know nothing more than anyone at this point." Saemon explained that he had done something "terrible", and that he was making up for it with this mission. He also said that he'd settle the matter much later.

"Sounds kinda fishy to me. Well, so long as you don't get in my way during the fighting, old man, I won't have to worry about protecting you," said Naruto.

"I think the one who will do the protecting is me, kid." Saemon said. "So just sit back and take care of your own ass." Naruto, his mouth full of food, glared and became red-faced at the wise-crack Saemon had pulled.

"Why you!" Naruto almost choked on his rice ball, and had to take a huge swig from his canteen. "I'll show you! I'm going to be Hokage-"

"Get down!" Yamato yelled to all around him. Kunai and shuriken rained from the tree tops, scattering across the ground in a torrent. The ninja being attacked all dodged the flying weapons, surviving by inches because of Yamato's warning. "Is everyone all right?" All agreed yes.

Many of the ninja readied themselves, getting into defensive stances. Sakura put on her gloves, and Sai unsheathed his short sword. Naruto and Ino armed themselves with kunai, while Shikamaru and Choji prepared to use their own techniques. Yamato crouched for a dodge, and Saemon merely stood still, arms to his sides, taking in his surroundings.

Moments passed, but the only movement in the woods were the flickering shadows of the trees that seemed unnatural.

The ninja tried to ascertain their enemy's locations in the trees, darting their eyes for signs of movement, but found none. Saemon focused his chakra into his ears, listening for rustling in the branches and in the bushes.

"We're surrounded," he said.

Another wave of shuriken and kunai came down, and the eight ninja dodged them yet again, deflecting some of the more accurate weapons with their kunai.

"Come on out, you cowards!" Naruto yelled into the forest.

"Such big talk, don't you think, Genma?" a female voice said.

Five ninja, clad in matching robes, emerged from the forest, forming the points of a pentagram around Saemon and the others. There were two women and three men among them. The woman who spoke had short auburn hair and a sly look about her face. The ninja she addressed, Genma, was large and muscular, with a stony face.

"Yeah, such puny ninja shouldn't talk so impolitely to their elders," he said. Another ninja, this one much younger and shorter, spoke ill of the auburn haired woman.

"Come now, Suzuka, no need to tease our quarry." His voice was venomous in quality. "They are only youngsters, so you can't blame them for it. You should know better."

"Shut up, Fuu. You're so goody-goody it makes me sick," she said. The one named Fuu only looked at her with indifference. "Anyway, I think it's time we got rid of these guys before they get to our hideout. After all, that is what they're here for, right?"

"You have a good point. Let's kill them and return to Jizo-sama," said Fuu.

"Sure, whatever," said the other woman, who seemed to only take a passing interest in the situation in front of her.

"I wonder which one I should take first?" asked the third man, who appeared calmer and more in control than the others.

"Doesn't matter, Yuujiro! Just kill them, quickly!" Suzuka said, charging in a frontal attack towards Saemon and the Konohagakure ninja. The other enemies followed suit, charging towards their targets.

Ino and Choji fought Genma. Sai and Shikamaru took Fuu. Naruto and Yamato took Suzuka. Sakura fought the unnamed woman, while Saemon took on the one named Yuujiro.

Ino and Choji were having a tough time. Ino couldn't square her Mind Destruction on the large man, since he was much faster than he appeared to be. Choji couldn't hit him either, since all the ninja was focusing on was dodging the Spike Boulder Technique.

Sakura had to be careful to dodge the disinterested woman, who said her name was Ai. Her technique focused on generating a dangerous wind blade using her extra long sleeves. A troublesome ability for Sakura's close range strength.

Shikamaru rode along with Sai on top of one of Sai's Beast Imitation Picture birds. They were also trying not to fall victim to the strange ability Fuu was using. A tentacle like poison stinger was shooting out of his wrist, thin and ribbon-like. It's strength was great, since it knocked down a few trees, and also was extremely fast. All that they could do was not get hit.

While Yamato couldn't defend himself properly due to Suzuka's intense fire techniques, Naruto was having difficulties getting at the woman, because she kept dodging each of Naruto's attacks and counter-attacking with her flames.

Yuujiro and Saemon kept exchanging hand-to-hand blows, Yuujiro on the offensive and Saemon on defense. Yuujiro's technique involved absorbing the opponent's chakra, by use of touch with any part of his body. Saemon could feel his energy being taken whenever he blocked one of Yuujiro's fists or leg kicks.

Yuujiro caught Saemon off balance by hooking his leg around Saemon's ankle. Saemon started to lean backward, and that's when Yuujiro took his opportunity to grab Saemon's neck, choking him and absorbing his chakra all at once.

"Now I've got you," he said. Saemon only grabbed Yuujiro's arm with both hands, trying to get the ninja off of him. Then something happened that made Yuujiro loosen his grip. He couldn't get out any more chakra. He knew there was more in this ninja that what he had absorbed, but he wasn't taking any more in.

Saemon's face cracked, falling into dust particles. The ninja whom Yuujiro had thought had been defeated by his power had transformed into something else.

It had a human face, but it was all wrong. The eyes. They were…soulless. Vacant. It wore a black robe, and its face was shielded partly by armor. It was a puppet!

"Go, Tsume!" Saemon called. The chakra strings controlling the puppet brought it to life, the claws on its hands gouging wound trails into Yuujiro's sides. He cried out from the initial pain. The puppet backed away, rattling and showing off its hands. They each were equipped with claws on its nails, and its arms were heavily armored.

"Substitution. You bastard," Yuujiro said. "Now I have to deal with a puppet, too?"

Yuujiro began to feel numb. He looked around, seeing that his other comrades were being overrun by the ninja they'd set out to kill. Suzuka was backed into a corner by Naruto and Yamato. Fuu's parasite had been injured by Sai. Sakura was using her strength on the ground to knock Ai off balance. Choji and Ino were trying to figure out Genma's next move.

He felt the pain of the poison in the puppet's claws. It was spreading quickly. He knew he couldn't continue in this condition.

"Retreat! Back to base!" Yuujiro cried.

"What?" His comrades mumbled to themselves.

Genma used a smoke bomb to cover the area for their escape. He slung Yuujiro over his shoulder, careful not agitate Yuujiro's wounds. They all used a transportation technique to make their exit without being tracked by the ninja they'd fought. Naruto tried chasing after them, but Yamato stopped him. Sai deactivated his technique, and Saemon returned his puppet back to its scroll. They had won the battle. The first step toward their mission's success.

They had won the battle, for now.


	5. Infiltration: Ibiki's Rescue

The Tales of Chikimatsu's Pupil

"Infiltration: Ibiki's Rescue"

By: Wolfeluck

The enemy ninja had left. Saemon and the village ninja recovered from their brief battle. Ino and Sakura healed minor injuries while Yamato and Shikamaru discussed their plan for pursuit.

"Should we go after them right away?" Shikamaru asked.

"No, we won't. They'll know we're following them, and even then, they'll increase their defenses once we get close to their hideout."

"What if only a few of us followed them and came back?"

"That might help, but you run the risk of being led into a trap."

"Perhaps I can help," Saemon said.

"How? Can you spy on the enemy ranks without getting caught?" Shikamaru said.

"Actually, I can. I'll use one of my puppets." Saemon held out a summoning scroll, unraveling the paper and the symbols written inside. Smoke billowed out, revealing the puppet Koumori.

The puppet unfurled its wings, jumped into the air and used its mechanisms to keep the wings flapping, creating a whirlwind on the ninja below it.

"A puppet that can fly?" Naruto asked. He seemed amazed by the sight.

"Captain Yamato, I'll send some of my Beast Imitations out with him, as well," said Sai. He wrote on his own scroll, creating several rats made from ink. They scurried into the forest in the direction the ninja had escaped to.

"Alright everyone, we're going to split up into teams while Saemon and Sai scout for the fortress. Saemon will go with Sakura, Choji with Ino, Naruto with Sai, and I will go with Shikamaru," Yamato said.

"Alright," Naruto said with a determined look. Sai created a giant ink bird, climbing into the sky on its back. Naruto followed it from the ground. Sakura followed Saemon as he controlled Koumori from the sky. The others all went their separate ways deeper into the forest, towards the yet unknown fortress of the ninja they'd battled.

It was only near sunset that they'd found the fortress. They knew it was close because there were many traps laid about, ready to be sprung should anyone trespass.

The strange thing was that the fortress wasn't in sight. The reports they'd been given said that it was aboveground. It seemed it wasn't true. Either they were being fooled by a powerful illusion, or the cliff face in front of the ninja was the wall of the fortress. If that was the case, it would be more difficult getting in there.

The ninja decided to wait until nightfall to strike.

The time came. Sai sent more of his ink animals to find an entrance, while Shikamaru, Saemon, and Yamato followed them for a swifter entry. Once the three ninja gave the signal, the rest would follow inside.

The signal had been given. Each two person team would split up and find Ibiki. They were each given a watch to keep track of the time; half an hour, and no more.

Once they were inside, eyes in dark places watched them; plotted. Saemon and Sakura went deeper into the tunnels. They searched around corners, sneaking around the other ninja they hadn't encountered yet. It seemed there was a bigger fighting force than the five they'd fought.

"Hey, Saemon, where do you think they're keeping Ibiki?" Sakura asked.

"There's no telling. I was once given a mission that involved something like this. I had to retrieve a fallen comrade who held certain secrets in him. The enemy kept him in the lowest level of their underground operation. If we look for Ibiki at the lowest point, we can work our way up without missing an inch of this place."

"Good idea, even though that will take time."

"Hey, Sakura-chan!" Naruto whispered in the corridor.

"Naruto-kun? Weren't you with Sai?"

"Yeah, but I sent out a few shadow clones to cover more ground."

"Good idea, Naruto! How about you go upwards, and we'll go down? We can look in more places that way."

"Sure, but just holler if you get into trouble, alright?"

"Yeah. See ya, Naruto-kun."

"See you later, Sakura-chan."

The shadow clone traveled down the dark passageway, while Saemon and Sakura tried to find a way downward into the core of the fortress.

"Man, this place is giving me the creeps." Sakura chimed in her opinion of the damp tunnels. "Who built this dungeon?"

"Tunnels like this are the work of Earth Style users, especially Iwagakure ninja. They often build underground tunnels for hiding themselves in enemy territory."

"Still, they need to work on making this place less gloomy."

Saemon laughed at this.

As Saemon and Sakura traveled deeper into the caves, it became apparent that the tunnels became wider, and they started to walk into open spaces. Much like large rooms, these caverns were home to various ninja, ready for battle. The two ninja used the transformation technique to fool the cave dwellers.

Once past the vast caverns, there were more tunnels. These didn't seem to be used very often, probably secret passages for easy access to the rest of the complex or for hiding.

Then they reached the end of them. There was a brighter candlelight emanating from a square hole in the floor of the tunnel. They both looked down, and saw their target. Ibiki was tied up to a chair, appearing to be unconscious. There were several ninja guarding him. One of them was familiar. He was the shorter boy named Fuu.

From his wrist came the strange whip-like creature. Its head was tipped with a stinger. It dug into Ibiki's arm, going underneath the skin. Ibiki cried out in pain, the creature traveling under his flesh, tearing away slowly at his will.

"Now, ninja, you will tell me how to get past the large walls of Konohagakure. What about the battle style of the Fifth Hokage? Don't make it any more painful for yourself. Just tell me what I want to know and I'll stop."

Ibiki simply took the pain. After a few moments, Fuu stopped torturing Ibiki, returning the parasite to its home.

"Stubborn man. I keep trying this but nothing works. Perhaps I'll have to try harder." Fuu left the room, thinking about a new technique he was developing. He thought he might test it on Ibiki.

"Now's our chance," said Sakura. The guard was now relaxed. They could jump down, grab Ibiki, and escape through the secret tunnels.

"Just wait, I have something that will get us past the guard. They might have traps that will keep anyone from getting at Ibiki," Saemon said.

"How do you know that?" Sakura asked.

"The one named Fuu used that thing in his arm from a distance. Now look at Ibiki. Do it closely, and focus on the space around him," Saemon replied.

Sakura saw them.

"Wires! So he's surrounded by trip-wires?"

"Exactly. It keeps Ibiki in place and reveals any intruders who try to get at him. A clever trap."

"I see. So how do you suggest we get at him?"

"I've got more than one trick up my sleeve," Saemon said.

He summoned two more puppets from his scrolls. The first puppet had four arms, and it crawled along the ground like an insect. The second was a female puppet, its hair done up in a bun. Their faces were human, but they were vacant. Sakura saw the puppets, and was reminded of Sasori's puppet, Hiruko. It gave her the chills, more so than the tunnels they were in. Could it be? Sakura wondered if this man might be using human puppets. They looked eerily similar to the ones Sasori had used.

"Alright. Sakura, when Ibiki comes up here, I need you to tend to his wounds while I fend off the enemy. Kumo should be able to take care of them long enough for us to escape, so just climb on its back while I use Benihime to fend off any pursuers we meet," Saemon said.

Their plan of action was set. Saemon used his chakra strings to purposely set off the traps surrounding Ibiki, alerting the enemy of their presence. At the same time, Kumo, the insect-like puppet, released a net from its sleeve, capturing Ibiki in its web. The puppet retracted the net containing Ibiki, tied to a chair. He came up through the square hole Saemon released Ibiki from the net, and Sakura cut the bindings keeping him from escape.

"Sakura?" Ibiki asked.

"Yes, Ibiki-sensei, it's me," she said.

"I was getting impatient waiting," he said. Ibiki felt the pain in his body. Sakura ran a hand over him, seeing that he suffered through great physical strain. Saemon used Kumo to hold on to Ibiki.

Sakura ran alongside Kumo and Ibiki while Saemon stayed in back with his puppet Benihime. Enemy ninja were pursuing them, throwing kunai and shuriken while trying to catch up.

Benihime used a strange mechanism on its back to control whip-like tails, almost like smaller versions of Hiruko's tail. Sakura noted the similarity. The tails were deflecting the kunai and keeping their pursuers at a distance, since they moved with such force and speed.

Sakura pressed a button on her watch, activating an alarm. The other ninja wearing one heard the alarm beeping, knowing that Ibiki had been rescued.

Everyone made their way to the outside, using any means necessary to get past the enemy they encountered along the way. Their own escape was imperative.

Once each of the ninja, except for Naruto, was outside, Yamato sent Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino, along with Ibiki, back to the village. Ino was to tend to Ibiki's wounds, while Shikamaru and Choji were to fend off anyone who followed. Yamato and the others were to stay behind and act as a wall against the ninja who were robbed of their hostage.

The enemy filed out of the cavern entrances. They were great in number, and among them were four of the five ninja that they had fought before in the forest. Only Yuujiro was missing. Yamato wondered what had happened to him.

Saemon and the Konohagakure ninja were surrounded. They would need an advantage in numbers if they intended to win. Now that Shikamaru and his team were gone with Ibiki, they wouldn't have to worry about their mission, but about their lives.

Each ninja readied themselves, preparing for the tumultuous battle. Saemon intended to fight with all he had, not sparing an inch against the enemy.

He separated himself from the others, giving him room for his technique. Saemon fastened hand signs, taking out a scroll different from the others he'd used. The scroll unraveled, and eight more puppets revealed themselves.

Saemon was ready for his puppet performance.


	6. Ninja Battle! Saemon's Ten Puppets

The Tales of Chikimatsu's Pupil

"Ninja Battle! Saemon's Ten Puppets"

By: Wolfeluck

Saemon had summoned his puppets. He fixed a singular chakra string to each, making it easier to control them all at once. Enemy ninja close to Saemon, ready to strike him down in a flurry of multiple attacks from all sides, were hesitant now that they knew the ninja before them was a puppet master. There were perhaps ten enemies to each ninja. The five from earlier were nowhere to be seen among the ranks of rogue ninja.

Sai brought more Beast Imitations out for long range combat. Sakura focused chakra into her hands and feet, ready to break a few bones, and Yamato got ready to use his Wood Element Technique. Naruto was still in the complex.

Much to Saemon's and the leaf ninjas' surprise, their enemy were not as strong individually as the five that ambushed them earlier. In great numbers, they posed a danger, but each ninja focused on defeating as many of the rogue ninja as possible while watching out for each other's back.

Saemon especially shined, defeating most of the enemy with his puppets.

He leapt upon Koumori's back, flying into the air, out of reach of the ninja on the ground who might try to get in close. He dodged their kunai and shuriken with ease, adeptly controlling Koumori's wings.

Saemon sent each puppet into the fray. The puppets he'd already used, Kumo, Benihime, and Tsume, were all close to the other ninja, backing them up. Tsume made up for Sai's weakness at close range, clawing at the enemy with its poisoned nails, Kumo benefited Sakura by trapping multiple enemies into its nets and then sending them flying towards Sakura, her strength ready to pummel them, and Benihime backed up Yamato with its kunai whips. The other six puppets all fought the enemy ninja by themselves, while Saemon sat atop Koumori, intently focusing on each of them.

Puppet number one, Yuki, dodged the ninja trying to attack it, using defensive stances, while at the same time, spewing large amounts of poisonous gas from her mouth, incapacitating the ninja who got close to her.

Puppet number two, Bakuhatsu, dropped kunai tied with explosive tags on the ninja as he jumped up into the air, the tags exploding in the enemy ranks. A few of the ninja also kept up with this puppet in the air, but Bakuhatsu spewed a jet of fire onto them.

Puppet number three, Shukke, was impenetrable, due to its incredibly hard skin. Even explosive tags and Earth Style techniques could not break it. Its sheer size and strength proved to be a force to avoid.

Puppet number four, Hitoame, hid in the trees, and threw three parasols into the air, where they stayed, spinning. Hitoame maneuvered hand signs, and the parasols released countless poison needles from the sky, raining down upon the ninja.

Puppet number five, Kagemaru, proved to be very fast, far outrunning the ninja, using extreme proficiency with the katana it wielded. Its face was covered by a mask.

Puppet number six, Ekaki, bludgeoned any approaching ninja with a man-sized paintbrush, while trying to use the paintbrush to draw a seal on the ground. Saemon had Hitoame's needles focus on the area near Ekaki, so that the seal could be completed without hassle. Finally, the seal was complete.

"Secret Technique, Paralysis Seal," Saemon said. The paint glowed, the quadrilateral symbol stopping all the ninja inside its boundaries, after Hitoame's attack was called off, granting the enemy a false sense of security. The paralyzed ninja were quickly dispatched by a rain of needles. The Konohagakure ninja were all impressed by the capabilities of Saemon's puppets. Sakura remarked how the puppets each seemed too human to be merely normal puppets.

Eventually, the fighting drew to a close. The enemy ninja who had not been killed retreated into the forest, carrying as many of their wounded as they could.

Saemon and the Konohagakure ninja didn't pursue them. Saemon returned his puppets back to their scrolls. Sai dissipated his Beast Imitations

Naruto emerged from the cave entrance. He was ecstatic about getting out of the cave.

"Captain Yamato! Sakura-chan!" he said.

"Naruto-kun!" Sakura said in reply. "What took you long, Naruto? We needed you out here."

"What?" Naruto looked around the clearing. There were a great many dead ninja. "Wait, you fought with all these guys?" He looked surprised at the sight.

"Yes, Naruto-kun. Where were you?" Sai asked.

"Sorry about that Sai, Sakura-chan. I got lost in the caves and couldn't find my way out."

"Well, try not to next time! We had a tough time out here. We only managed to defeat all these guys because Saemon summoned up all these puppets and totally beat so many of them."

"Woah! Really? That's awesome." Naruto grinned. "Wish I coulda seen that."

"I saw it, clear as day," a voice said. It was Yuujiro, the man whom Saemon injured back in the forest. He was pale, but on his feet. Saemon was astonished that Yuujiro had survived the effects of the poison from Tsume's claws. He fully expected that the man before him had died before he had even reached the fortress. "Those puppets of yours are impressive, Kuromatsu. Who knew that you were still alive, even after all these years?"

"I could say the same thing. How did you survive Tsume's poison nails? I can only think you must have realized that I coat every weapon in my arsenal with my special brand of poison, and you had someone prepare an antidote. There must be someone skilled in medical ninjutsu in your party," Saemon said.

"Actually, yes," he replied. "My lord, Jizo-sama, extracted the poison. His skills would easily outmatch your pathetic toxins."

"Is this Jizo-sama your leader?" Yamato asked. Yuujiro became hesitant.

"Yeah, he is."

"Take us to him. We'll take him back to Konoha for interrogation."

"Not a chance," Yuujiro said.

Something sounded off in the distance. A stream of white smoke exploded in mid-air, deep in the forest. Yamato recognized the flare as a signal from Shikamaru. There was trouble.

"Naruto! Sakura! Sai! The emergency signal!"

"What?" they said unison.

"We have to go backup Shikamaru and the others. That flare means they were followed and have been ambushed."

"Then let's go!" Naruto said.

"There's no helping them, you idiots," Yuujiro said. "Your comrades are probably too far away for you to help them. Jizo-sama sent Suzuka and Genma after them. Those two are the strongest of us, under Jizo-sama."

"Captain Yamato. Take those three and go to Shikamaru. I can handle Yuujiro by myself."

"I understand. Are you sure you're okay by yourself?"

"I'm sure," Saemon said.

"Captain Yamato? Let me stay with him," Sakura said.

"Sakura-chan? Why do you wanna do that?" Naruto asked.

"I might be more help here then with Shikamaru. They've got Ino, so having another medical ninja is too much. Plus, Saemon will be outnumbered, if only those two from before ambushed Shikamaru."

"That's true. You can go along, but be careful, Sakura."

"I will."

Yamato, Sai, and Naruto sped into the forest, towards the origin of the flare. Yuujiro fled in the opposite direction, with Saemon and Sakura hot on his trail.

Yuujiro was going deeper into the forest. The canopy was blocking out the moonlight, making it harder to see. Saemon and Sakura stopped once they reached a clearing. The clouds made the area darker once they covered the moon.

Yuujiro did not hesitate to start the fighting. He immediately started with hails of shuriken and kunai. As Saemon and Sakura easily dodged them, Yuujiro struck at them with close combat, sucking out a bit of chakra with each blow he managed.

Saemon focused chakra into his eyes, taking in as much light as possible so he could get a better view. He had already summoned Bakuhatsu on reflex, a natural defense to the close range of Yuujiro's attacks. Saemon counterattacked with exploding tags and the jet of flames from Bakuhatsu's mouth. Sakura tried to fight fist with fist against Yuujiro, but he only blocked her strikes while stealing her chakra, and her strength, away from her. Saemon decided to lay a trap.

Yuujiro was gaining the upper hand. With his swift weapon throws and even swifter punches and kicks, the two ninja he was fighting were going to die very soon. Saemon's puppet was too slow to accurately strike the adeptly dodging Yuujiro.

He noticed the fuse on some explosive tags. They were on the ground. A time delay! Yuujiro jumped away from the explosions, almost getting caught in the blast. Sakura punched the ground, trying to knock Yuujiro off balance so Saemon could use Bakuhatsu's flames on him. It still wasn't working.

He'd been backed into a tree for a moment. Yuujiro was tired. His technique required a lot of chakra to use. Fortunately he had his other technique to steal their chakra.

A blade from the darkness.

Yuujiro's chest bled. The clouds moved away and revealed the scene in the moon's ethereal glow. One of Saemon's puppets, Kagemaru, had stabbed Yuujiro from behind. Apparently it was hidden on the tree using a technique. Yuujiro realized that he'd been led into a trap. Yuujiro fell to the ground, Kagemaru's sword pulling out of his heart. He was dead.

"Oh, look. Yuujiro got himself killed. You shouldn't have saved that man, Jizo-sama," Fuu said.

"I agree, Jizo-sama. It wasn't a smart idea," said Ai.

Fuu and Ai, each standing to the side of another ninja, this one addressed as Jizo-sama, appeared in the darkness.

"I must admit, it was an interesting fight," said Jizo. "The puppets that man uses can use techniques like living people. I'd love to know how that's done."

Jizo, a middle-aged ninja, formed a hand sign. Ai and Fuu fled as fast as they could away from Jizo, covering their mouths as they did so.

Saemon and Sakura readied themselves for the enemy leader.


	7. Alone in the Dark

The Tales of Chikimatsu's Pupil

"Alone in the Dark"

By: Wolfeluck

Jizo's technique created a mist of poison vapor from his sweat. A water technique, it enveloped the forest, killing small animals who breathed the toxin in. Saemon and Sakura were not aware that the mist spreading towards them was poisonous, but they did notice immediately after breathing in the vapor. Saemon quickly summoned Koumori and flew away into the night, concentrating hard on keeping themselves aloft. Sakura was already unconscious, slung over Saemon's shoulder. She was starting to writhe in pain from the vapor's effects.

Soon after gaining a safe distance on Jizo and the two ninja who had fled from his technique, he landed Koumori on a cliff face, where he created a cave using an earth style technique. He brought Sakura inside after reverse summoning Koumori.

"Sakura? Are you alright? Sakura?" he said.

Sakura only flinched and grumbled from the pain of the poison.

"Sakura? I'm going to perform a medical technique on you. It's going to hurt, so try not to move too much, alright?" Saemon worried that he now wouldn't be able to fulfill his own personal mission. If she died, he'd never be able to apologize for what Sasori had done to her and Chiyo, as well as everyone who became his puppets.

Chakra glowed in the palm of Saemon's hand after he fashioned a flurry of hand signs.

"Secret Technique, Snakes of Blood!" he exclaimed. He placed his hand on Sakura's stomach, and the blood from within his own body became like tendrils, burrowing into Sakura's bloodstream, trying to extract the poison. Sakura screamed out in intense pain, but Saemon restrained her with his chakra strings. The tendrils inside Sakura were absorbing the poison, lessening the pain and keeping the tissues from becoming necrotic. Eventually, the poison was successfully extracted from Sakura, and Saemon expelled the poisoned blood that threatened to end his life as well if he didn't remove it.

After a few moments, Sakura regained consciousness.

"Sakura? Are you alright?" Saemon watched as Sakura sat up, holding her head.

"Hm? What's going on?" Sakura seemed hazy, trying to remember what had happened. "What happened? Saemon?"

"It's alright, now. You were poisoned by that Jizo guy."

Sakura remembered the strange mist that Jizo had spread from his body. She ran a hand over herself, checking to see why she wasn't feeling the effects of the poison.

"That's strange. If I was poisoned, why don't I feel anything?"

"I extracted the poison when we got here."

"I'm not going to ask how you did that." Sakura felt somewhat embarrassed that she'd been saved by someone who wasn't a medical ninja like herself. It was such a short time! How could he have drawn the poison out so quickly? Who was this man? What about his puppets? Why did they seem so human?

"Well, anyway, thanks! I mean, you _did_ save me, right?" Sakura was still embarrassed. "Now, should we go and find Naruto and the others?"

"No, we should wait here for now. Inside this cave we're safe, and I suspect Jizo and those other ninja will be looking for us. Besides, I'm not even sure all of the poison has been neutralized."

"It should be fine. I feel great, actually." Sakura ran her hand over herself again, making sure that whatever Saemon had done to extract the toxin had taken all of it out.

"No, our safety right now is paramount. Regardless of how well you are now, it won't help us if we get poisoned again by Jizo." Saemon tried to make it sound like they wouldn't survive in the open air. It was just as he'd wanted it.

"Well, alright. If you insist. I suppose it makes sense in the long run." Sakura hunkered down, making herself comfortable in the hastily crafted cavern. "So, what do we do now?" she asked.

"I don't know. It might be best if we planned out a battle strategy when we do meet those ninja again," Saemon said.

"Tell me a story…something about yourself. To pass the time," Sakura said. "Ever since you joined our mission with Shikamaru, you haven't told anyone anything about yourself. I'd like to hear something."

Saemon was surprised to hear those words coming from Sakura. He also knew this was his opportunity.

"Sure. Where should I start? I suppose I could start in my younger days. Those were some harsh times. My teacher, Chikimatsu Monzaemon, you know he developed the Puppet Technique, right? I was his best student."

"Is that why those puppets are so different than any I've seen?" Sakura asked.

"Yes. You see, I possess a bloodline trait that prevents me from aging rapidly and can heal my wounds with my chakra. Long ago, my clan could awaken this power within themselves, but they couldn't do so for their aging. They were renowned as medical experts, since they deeply studied their own bodies for different applications. I developed the most advanced form of the trait, the first in my clan."

"That must explain how you took out the poison in me," Sakura said.

"Yes, it was. It's one of the techniques my clan used to use. Anyway…

They eventually died out in a dispute over land, and I was left alone. I was no older than yourself. I eventually met Chikimatsu, and he taught me the use of puppets in battle. His own puppets were only wood, and he often preached that the wood determined the quality of the puppet. After many battles with other ninja, I found this to be false. Their prowess in a fight far outmatched the weak and flimsy bodies of the puppets I'd originally created. They were no more powerful than samurai, because they couldn't use techniques like normal ninja. Then it got me thinking, what if I used a real human body instead?"

"The puppets you use…are made from…people?" Sakura gulped saliva down her throat.

"Yes, they are. They were all enemies I killed during the Ninja Wars. I'd often scavenge battle fields, looking for ideal corpses to transform into puppets. I'm sure you're familiar with the technique."

"Yes," she said. Sakura looked down, seeming sad.

"Tell me, how did you kill Sasori?" Saemon asked.

"How did you-"

"I know very well that you and Chiyo fought Sasori when he kidnapped the Kazekage."

"Then, answer me this!" Sakura became serious, her thirst for knowledge about the puppets Saemon had been using so far becoming even thirstier. "Did you teach Sasori how to make Human Puppets?"

Saemon thought for a moment. His chance at redemption was at hand. He found it strange it was pitch dark.

"I did, and I regret all of it. When Sasori came to me, he was your age, maybe younger. He was eager for something beyond his experiences. He wanted knowledge and understanding. I gave it to him when he learned of my existence. Sasori refused to leave me alone, so I taught him the technique. He was really quite a shy kid, but he was also a fierce and very cunning ninja. It was only later that I learned of his betrayal towards Sunagakure."

"But, still, how could you? That kind of knowledge…shouldn't be taught!" Sakura expressed her disgust at the thought of using human beings as mere playthings, thinking of Chiyo and her valiant sacrifice; of the Third Kazekage, made into a doll for the purpose of killing.

"I admit, the technique is not meant for the light of heart, but that's why I laid down rules for Sasori to follow regarding his pursuits."

"What kind of rules?" Sakura wondered what could possibly be considered rules when you were taking dead human beings and using them so coldly.

"Oh, this and that. You can't use this kind of weapon in them. You can't use a skeleton. You mustn't reveal technique's secret. You can't add wooden features to them. There was an endless list, but the most important one was that you wouldn't use your allies as material. Before teaching him the technique, these rules of mine were to be followed by the book, because if left alone, one could end up making great mistakes because of your desire for new puppets. For instance, if you wanted, you could kill a comrade and make him into a puppet, stealing their abilities for yourself. That's why, for someone with that power, I refused Sasori the choice to abuse it. He did it anyway, as I now know. He made countless Sunagakure ninja vanish, adding them to his collection, stealing their techniques. Even while I became more than just his student, while I became his friend, he was disobeying the very rules I set down. I'm sure you've seen one of his puppets…I remember it was named Hiruko."

"Mhm. He hid himself inside it and used it like armor," Sakura said.

"Hiruko was a Sunagakure ninja I personally knew. I fought alongside him during the Second Ninja War."

"I'm sorry," she said.

"No need to apologize. I should be the one doing that. I taught one of the greatest menaces Sunagakure has known. He threw away my trust, putting on a mask of friendship. I truly believed in him back then. I'd heard that he'd greatly improved the military power in Sunagakure, crediting me, of course, for the positive change."

"I kind of know how you feel. A friend of mine did the same thing. He left the village, throwing away our friendship in the process."

"Don't beat yourself up over it. People are sometimes hard to understand." Saemon thought of Sakura's similar situation. It seemed that both of them were not entirely different.

"You know, I'm not quite sure how I beat Sasori," Sakura asked.

"What? How do you mean?" Saemon replied.

"Chiyo and I were far outclassed in power by Sasori. He was very skilled, and he even controlled one-hundred puppets at once! I couldn't believe I'd ever win, but I kept on fighting regardless. I'd already been poisoned by the time the toughest part of the fight had started. Chiyo was the one who really stood up against him. I was more backup than anything. She even dealt the killing blow to Sasori," Sakura said.

"But you helped her, right? She probably wouldn't have stood a chance against Sasori if you hadn't been there. You should be glad she had help!"

"Thanks for the compliment?" Sakura smiled, trying to uplift her spirit.

"No, no. I need no thanks. I should be sorry…no, I _am_ sorry. If I hadn't taught Sasori, he wouldn't have killed Hiruko, or the Third Kazekage, or the Fifth. He wouldn't have killed all those people who trusted him or fought him, and then made them part of his collection. I'm sorry," Saemon said.

"I can accept that. Sasori made those choices on his own. It's his own fault for not living up to expectations," Sakura said.

"Really? Are you sure?" he said.

"I'm sure. No need to act like a kid," she said.

"Thank you," he said.

"You're welcome," she said.

Sakura and Saemon exchanged a few more stories between them. The night faded, the sun rising in the east, illuminating the darkness of the ninja-made cave. It wouldn't be long until they could leave and look for the others. Saemon remarked the orange light filtering through the trees, envisioning the silhouette of a young man, his hair a disheveled lump of red on his skull, blue eyes a sad sight in the shadow of the morning sun.


End file.
